Improvement in curtain-fixtures



w. w. MAs'sEY.

Curtain-Fixtures.

Patented Dec. 16,1873.

' IJVVEJVTOR wy. Jmaml Z/II Attorneys'.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrin,

wiLLiAM w. MAssnY, on eALTIMonn, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CURT'lN-FIXTURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,669, dated December 16, 1873; application tiled November 12, 1873.

those skilled in the art to construct and useV the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. I

Figure 1 is a front view of a curtain with my balance applied. This view represents the curtain on the inside of a window. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a cone-shaped spool as applied to the roller of a curtain. Fig. 3 is a view of a bracket such as I use for supporting one end of the curtain-roller.

The object of the invention is to produce a device which, when applied to the end of a curtain rod or roller, will more perfectly balance the curtain at different heights or under all circumstances than those now in use.

The simplicity of the device, its ready application to all windows and curtain-rollers, and the cheapness of its manufacture7 are material points, both as regards novelty and adaptability to the trade.

A is a curtain. Bis a window. C is the ordinary curtain-roller, around which the curtain is rolled in the usual way, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The left-hand end of the roller has a journal, which turns freely in an ordinary bracket fastened to the window-casing. To the opposite end of the roller is attached a cone-shaped spool, a, by means of ascrew, b, which passes through the center of the spool into the end of the roller, the projecting end of the screw forming the journal of the roller at this right-hand side. cis a ferrule rigidly secured in an annular groove, d, in the inner end of the spool. This ferrule fits nicely around the end of the roller, holding the spool and roller together and in direct line with each other. 1 is a ila-nge to keep the cord from running off the spool. The bracket d (shown in Fi g. 3) has 'its outer end, d', bent at a right angle to its base, for real sons hereinafter set forth. This bracket is screwed to the window-casing, and supports the right-hand end of the roller by means of the screw b, which turns freely in the open or slotted hole e in the outer end of Jrhe bracket. f is the cord, to the bottom end of which is attached a weighted tassel, g. The upper end of the cord is secured to the inner or smaller end of the tapered spool, and is wound around the saine from the smaller end to the larger or outer end when the curtain is down, and when the curtain is all rolled up on the roller, the cord is unwound and hangs to its full length.

The operation of the balance is as follows: If, for instance, the curtain is unrolled to its full length, the cord will be wound around the outer surface of the tapered spool from its smaller end to its base or outer end, and hence, as this end is the greatest in diameter, the weighted cord acts with the greatest power upon the spool to balance the entire weight of the curtain when all off from the roller, as the leverage of the tapered spool, over which the cord runs, is the greatest at its outer end. When the curtain is all wound up, the cord i's only wound around the spool at its smaller end, or where the leverage is the least, thus compensating for the weight of the curtain, which now, when rolled'up, bears with little or no force upon the weighted cord.

The taper of the spool having the weighted cord wound over it, as set forth, graduates the' power exerted by the weight g to balance the curtain, which, at diierent heights, weighs differently, according to the height rolled or unrolled; hence there is no point at which the curtain can be placebdbut that the weight g holds it in position.

My balance can be easily applied to any curtain-rod by simply removing the usual casting on the end thereof and afliXing spool a and its washer c by means of the screw b. The washer will t the roller where the casting rested, and the bracket d d' can be attached to the casing where the old one was by screws, which will fit the same holes made for the old bracket. The bend in the bracket is to bring` the open hole e directly under the journal for the latter, substantially as dejonrnzd sufficiently fm" from the window to give room for the roller.

Having thus desoribed my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The tapered spool a, provided with the flange l and annular groove d', in Combina/cion with the roller C, ferrnle c, and screw b, joinin g the spool and roller, rand also forming the scribed, and for the purpose set forth.

A2. The combination of the tapered spool a, roller C, curtain A, oord j', and Weight g, as and for the purpose set forth.

WM. W. MASSEY.

N/*itnesses THos. M. NoRRIs, NV. H. MAssoN. 

